Financial Times: Lex: Royal Dutch Shell
“Mr Ollila’s high international standing and proven track record of running a global business make him a credible addition to Shell’s new single board. But, importantly, he is also a Finn.”
Friday 5 August 2005
Published: August 5 2005
The fact that “all major oil” is an anagram of Jorma Ollila is probably not among the reasons why Nokia’s departing chief executive has been appointed as Royal Dutch Shell’s non-executive chairman.
Mr Ollila’s high international standing and proven track record of running a global business make him a credible addition to Shell’s new single board. But, importantly, he is also a Finn. It makes sense for Shell, keen for its streamlined structure to be seen as neither too British nor too Dutch, to appoint someone from outside both cultures.
For Mr Ollila the timing seems right. He is leaving a dominant company as it faces increasing competitive pressures. He will join one, which, while not out of the woods operationally, has reorganised its structure after a damaging governance scandal. For Shell, committed to an organic growth strategy, Mr Ollila is the architect of one of the world’s most successful home grown transformations.
Despite Nokia’s more recent woes, Mr Ollila’s strategic abilities are not in question. It is too early to know what his agenda will be and how aggressively he will pursue it. But it is fair to ask whether something more than an organic strategy is required. Thus far Shell’s approach has yielded an unattractive growth profile and poor project delivery. Even Mr Ollila, however, may find it difficult to guide Shell on the hard choices between high-priced acquisitions and a more aggressive return of cash to investors.
This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.
Royal Dutch Shell conspired directly with Hitler, financed the Nazi Party, was anti-Semitic and sold out its own Dutch Jewish employees to the Nazis. Shell had a close relationship with the Nazis during and after the reign of Sir Henri Deterding, an ardent Nazi, and the founder and decades long leader of the Royal Dutch Shell Group. His burial ceremony, which had all the trappings of a state funeral, was held at his private estate in Mecklenburg, Germany. The spectacle (photographs below) included a funeral procession led by a horse drawn funeral hearse with senior Nazis officials and senior Royal Dutch Shell directors in attendance, Nazi salutes at the graveside, swastika banners on display and wreaths and personal tributes from Adolf Hitler and Reichsmarschall, Hermann Goring. Deterding was an honored associate and supporter of Hitler and a personal friend of Goring.
Deterding was the guest of Hitler during a four day summit meeting at Berchtesgaden. Sir Henri and Hitler both had ambitions on Russian oil fields. Only an honored personal guest would be rewarded with a private four day meeting at Hitler’s mountain top retreat.
IN JULY 2007, MR BILL CAMPBELL (ABOVE, A RETIRED GROUP AUDITOR OF SHELL INTERNATIONAL SENT AN EMAIL TO EVERY UK MP AND MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS: 
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A head-cut image of Alfred Donovan (now deceased) appears courtesy of The Wall Street Journal.
